“I’m not surprised by the deal,” said Barbara Stewart of the University of Houston’s retailing and consumer sciences department. “It’s a great product, has great service, a great reputation and expansion sometimes takes increased capital.”

Whataburger hasn’t revealed terms of the deal or specific plans for expansion.

However, Stewart believes it will be successful as long as it doesn’t forget its Texas roots.

“I think the Whataburger customer base is pretty strong and pretty loyal,” Stewart said. “And, to the extent they don’t make a lot of changes quickly, I think they’ll retain that base.”

At this point, longtime customer Armando Avila told us he has no plans to stop coming at least twice a week.

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to be the same, hopefully,” Avila said.

A member of the founder’s family, who will remain on the board, said the decision to sell the company was “exciting and bittersweet.”